I'm a 15 year old girl in Hawaii. My family has a 2 year old Golden Retriever, who is a very sweet dog and respects me (I get frustrated trying to explain to my parents how around half of their actions are inappropriate for responsible dog ownership). However, I have been wanting a dog for myself, and got interested in Schutzhund but put it on hold while I fell in love with the Belgian Shepherd (Tervuren variety) and nearly sent over my deposit for a show line pup from
Australia. I was planning to take it through AKC obedience trials. Then I got back to thinking, and referring to this website's training articles ..I decided I didn't want a fancy showdog anymore. I wanted a puppy from working lines to raise and train. I have a lot more respect for working dogs and I also think dogs are happier with a real job to do. I am also quickly losing faith in AKC ..I have been doing a lot of reading on how far show dogs have come from their original purpose, and they don't really have a function. Don't get me wrong, structure is important, but trotting around in a ring and getting poked by a stranger ..well, how does that prove a dog is breeding quality if they can't DO anything? If they have a bunch of genetic problems? Conformation shows don't even tell anything about a dog's temperament and drives. It just shows that guarding breeds have been made to let strangers feel their teeth, their "equipment," that their tails are the perfect length ..argh. Anyway.

I found a Schutzhund club on my island, which I am so glad for. I plan to bring home a puppy next summer, and now I'm looking into respectable/responsible working GSD breeders either here, the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, or Guam, as those are the only places that exempt a dog from quarantine. So I've been bitten by the bug, you could say. I was reassured that many females slight in build participate in Schutzhund (I'm 5'2") and if I keep my head on straight and all the lights on upstairs, my size should not really deter me from doing Schutzhund if I really want to. It's funny, I was all gung ho about my obedience prospect Belgian Tervuren, and just a few months later, I'm antsy to get a working GSD puppy and order a truckload of Leerburg DVDs to help me learn how to raise a working dog the right way. The local club will no doubt teach me lots but I would also like to see some Leerburg DVDs to compare.

So here is a picture of Daisy, the current family dog.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b26/xkismet/21ef31d7.jpg

Welcome!
So have you met any of the dogs @ the club there, watched
a session? If you get a pup,your size surely won't matter,
though if you were to rescue, that could proove challenging,
at least for awhile. I am glad you're reading up all about it first, whoever it is, it'll be a luckier pup than many!
Good for you, good for the pup!
In the meantime, work with your golden, it all helps, they
all have something to teach us.

Sarah...welcome! Your writing style exposes your intellect and your heart...and since that's what you need for dog ownership and training, I'm sure you'll have great success.
I agree you should buy a working dog...you'll need one that's smart just to keep up with you. Cheers and good luck!

QUOTEing Sarah: I have a lot more respect for working dogs and I also think dogs are happier with a real job to do. END

Yes indeed! Especially with the working breeds, I think you are 100% correct that they were born to do their job and most satisfied with life when they are allowed to do their job, trained to do it right, and appreciated and praised when they do it. (Not so different in that respect from us humans!)

The Leerburg DVDs are a wise choice, Sarah. And the three that I personally would start with (Your Puppy 8 Wks to 8 Mos., Basic Dog Obedience, and Eat, Drink, & Wag Your Tail) are appropriate for any pup you decide on, IMO, no matter what your specific goals for the dog.

A friend who trains police dogs, and his helper who is a Sch owner/trainer, tell me that the Leerbug videos are essential equipment. I am ordering my own now because one viewing is not sufficient; they are so packed with detailed info. I'm vaciillating between herding and Sch, with the decision to be made when we see the puppy in September and the helper assesses him/her. But it doesn't matter which for the purposes of these starter videos.

(Experienced specific-purpose trainers may correct me in my choice of the first three to get; I'm open to all the info I can get!)

Daisy is beautiful! Dan is right on the money when he says that working with her can reap all kinds of rewards for both of you! And Daisy is a working/sporting breed, too.

Keep on reading and learning! Good for you, Sarah! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

P.S. QUOTE: I get frustrated trying to explain to my parents how around half of their actions are inappropriate for responsible dog ownership END I'll bet that even part of those videos -- a few minutes here and there -- will do wonders for your parents, too. They are sure to see excerpts as you view and view again! :>